Buffalo Beeeews Posted March 27, 2014 Posted March 27, 2014 The story of the Buffalo Bills has not been a great one. I first started following the team in the 1988 season at 9 years old. The first game I ever watched was the AFC Championship Game vs. Cincinnati in "The Jungle..". A blowout loss. It was the first game my father and myself ever watched together. The Bills have been the only bond between me and my father over the years. They've been the only reason we've come together over the years, especially lately. But together, we've shared alot of good memories...and not so good memories. We watched the Harmon drop in Cleveland and subsequent Clay Matthews INT that followed on the very next play. We watched together the following year as Norwood came within inches of fulfilling not only every teammate of his...but an entire blue-collar community. We watched together as the next three Superbowls ended progressively worse! We watched together following a stunning loss in the 1996 AFC Wildcard Game to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as Jim Kelly said his final goodbye to the game, team and city he loved and carried. We watched together as the likes of Todd Collins, Rob Johnson, Drew Bledsoe, J.P.Losman, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick (among others) failed to match Kelly's magic. The Bills and their fanbase have been through the ringer together over the years. Four Superbowl losses. 14 years without the playoffs. The threat of the team now being bought and moved, Kellys battle with Cancer, Ralphs passing...you all know the story. The Bills have always been the team seemingly trying to fight uphill. The underdog. In 1995, when word got out in Cleveland that the Browns were packing up and headed to Baltimore, the team folded like a wet blanket. The team and city were so disheartened by the turn of events that the remaining on-field product was left abysmally unwatchable. We know this: We likely have seven years left at least to have the Bills. The last 14 years have been brutal! Alot of us, out of frustration over those 14 years, have likely said some pretty regrettable statements: "Move the (expletive) team already!"..."Things will never change as long as Ralph owns the team!"..I'm guilty of both. Now, I sit here, as many of you do, and can't help but think of the families of both Ralph Wilson and Jim Kelly. This is the darkest of times for Buffalo and its fans...but how do we respond? How will the 2014 Bills respond? Adversity ate the city of Cleveland alive in 1995... ...but i have a feeling, no matter if the Bills are here or not in 7 years...that through all this adversity and tragedy...this team...this city...this fanbase..will overcome...and starting this year, this is a new era of Bills football..and dedicated to the two men who exemplify what it means to overcome the odds. Hey NFL...you've officially been put on notice.
Charles Romes Posted March 27, 2014 Posted March 27, 2014 The story of the Buffalo Bills has not been a great one. I first started following the team in the 1988 season at 9 years old. The first game I ever watched was the AFC Championship Game vs. Cincinnati in "The Jungle..". A blowout loss. It was the first game my father and myself ever watched together. The Bills have been the only bond between me and my father over the years. They've been the only reason we've come together over the years, especially lately. But together, we've shared alot of good memories...and not so good memories. We watched the Harmon drop in Cleveland and subsequent Clay Matthews INT that followed on the very next play. We watched together the following year as Norwood came within inches of fulfilling not only every teammate of his...but an entire blue-collar community. We watched together as the next three Superbowls ended progressively worse! We watched together following a stunning loss in the 1996 AFC Wildcard Game to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as Jim Kelly said his final goodbye to the game, team and city he loved and carried. We watched together as the likes of Todd Collins, Rob Johnson, Drew Bledsoe, J.P.Losman, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick (among others) failed to match Kelly's magic. The Bills and their fanbase have been through the ringer together over the years. Four Superbowl losses. 14 years without the playoffs. The threat of the team now being bought and moved, Kellys battle with Cancer, Ralphs passing...you all know the story. The Bills have always been the team seemingly trying to fight uphill. The underdog. In 1995, when word got out in Cleveland that the Browns were packing up and headed to Baltimore, the team folded like a wet blanket. The team and city were so disheartened by the turn of events that the remaining on-field product was left abysmally unwatchable. We know this: We likely have seven years left at least to have the Bills. The last 14 years have been brutal! Alot of us, out of frustration over those 14 years, have likely said some pretty regrettable statements: "Move the (expletive) team already!"..."Things will never change as long as Ralph owns the team!"..I'm guilty of both. Now, I sit here, as many of you do, and can't help but think of the families of both Ralph Wilson and Jim Kelly. This is the darkest of times for Buffalo and its fans...but how do we respond? How will the 2014 Bills respond? Adversity ate the city of Cleveland alive in 1995... ...but i have a feeling, no matter if the Bills are here or not in 7 years...that through all this adversity and tragedy...this team...this city...this fanbase..will overcome...and starting this year, this is a new era of Bills football..and dedicated to the two men who exemplify what it means to overcome the odds. Hey NFL...you've officially been put on notice. A "blow out"loss to Cincinnati in the 88 afc championship? You mean when Bruce owned Munoz and the refs called his third sack a 15 yard face mask penalty? Watch the tape.
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